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Compare Iron vs Nickel

Comparing Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni). Atomic numbers 26 and 28 with atomic masses 55.845 u and 58.693 u, classified as transition metal and transition metal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Fe
Iron
#26
Ni
Nickel
#28

Periodic properties of the elements

IronNickel
SymbolFeNi
Atomic number2628
Group810
Period44
Blockdd
Element categoryTransition MetalTransition Metal

Physical properties

IronNickel
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density7.874 g/cm38.908 g/cm3
Atomic weight55.8452 u58.6934 u
Melting point1811 K
1537.85 °C
2800.13 °F		1728 K
1454.85 °C
2650.73 °F
Boiling point3134 K
2860.85 °C
5181.53 °F		3003 K
2729.85 °C
4945.73 °F

Atomic properties

IronNickel
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)1.831.91
Electron affinity14.785 kJ/mol111.65 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−4, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7
(an amphoteric oxide)		−2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4
(a mildly basic oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 762.5 kJ/mol
  2. 1561.9 kJ/mol
  3. 2957 kJ/mol
  4. 5290 kJ/mol
  5. 7240 kJ/mol
  6. 9560 kJ/mol
  7. 12060 kJ/mol
  8. 14580 kJ/mol
  9. 22540 kJ/mol
  10. 25290 kJ/mol
  11. 28000 kJ/mol
  12. 31920 kJ/mol
  13. 34830 kJ/mol
  14. 37840 kJ/mol
  15. 44100 kJ/mol
  16. 47206 kJ/mol
  17. 122200 kJ/mol
  18. 131000 kJ/mol
  19. 140500 kJ/mol
  20. 152600 kJ/mol
  21. 163000 kJ/mol
  22. 173600 kJ/mol
  23. 188100 kJ/mol
  24. 195200 kJ/mol
  25. 851800 kJ/mol
  26. 895161 kJ/mol
  1. 737.1 kJ/mol
  2. 1753 kJ/mol
  3. 3395 kJ/mol
  4. 5300 kJ/mol
  5. 7339 kJ/mol
  6. 10400 kJ/mol
  7. 12800 kJ/mol
  8. 15600 kJ/mol
  9. 18600 kJ/mol
  10. 21670 kJ/mol
  11. 30970 kJ/mol
  12. 34000 kJ/mol
  13. 37100 kJ/mol
  14. 41500 kJ/mol
  15. 44800 kJ/mol
  16. 48100 kJ/mol
  17. 55101 kJ/mol
  18. 58570 kJ/mol
  19. 148700 kJ/mol
  20. 159000 kJ/mol
  21. 169400 kJ/mol
  22. 182700 kJ/mol
  23. 194000 kJ/mol
  24. 205600 kJ/mol
  25. 221400 kJ/mol
  26. 231490 kJ/mol
  27. 992718 kJ/mol
  28. 1039668 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

IronNickel
Shorthand configuration[Ar] 3d6 4s2 [Ar] 3d8 4s2
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d8 4s2
Electrons per shell2, 8, 14, 22, 8, 16, 2

History

IronNickel
DiscoveryMiddle East (5000 BC)Axel Fredrik Cronstedt (1751)
First isolationAxel Fredrik Cronstedt (1751)
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